Quite a day. One with several important revelations. Early on (for instance), I took Hrimmi and Tinni for a walk, first around the loop and then on the trail. I also did the same yesterday with Hrimmi. She did wonderfully. Yesterday she was full of beans, just could not contain herself, was racing all over and repeatedly throwing up her heels. Today she was a bit quieter. She ran off several times, and several times ran back to me, each time doing sliding stops.

This morning, on the loop walk – I saw up ahead, a neighbor, Poncho and his black lab. Hrimmi was behind me. She saw the pair and at top speed ran up to them, focusing on the dog, who she repeatedly chased. This reminded me

Raudi - Rainbow - Alys

of what her breeder, Andrea Brodie said, which was that her mares had killed coyotes. Same bloodlines here, for sure.

I was so pleased with how Hrimmi did both on the loop walks and on the trail walks that I later took the three dogs and Raudi out, with the intention of letting Raudi run free. I dropped Rainbow’s leash in the driveway – she ran ahead – I could not catch her. The reason why I put all the dogs on leashes was so that they didn’t run into our neighbor’s yard. Of course, Rainbow made a beeline for his property. I glanced up at his stove pipe in passing – yep, he was home. I hustled the two dogs and Raudi up to the trail and tied them up, then went back to get Rainbow.

I must not have tied Raudi up very well because she came tearing after me, into the neighbor’s yard. So there I was, where I was not supposed to be, chasing one bad ass horse and one bad ass dog around the property. Yeah, I was seeing red. I finally caught both and hurried out of there. Phew.

Once on trail, I let Raudi go. She twice stood, thinking. I retrieved her twice and then let her go a third time. This was on the trail heading back to the main trail head. She took off at a gallop, with all three dogs following. Jenna and Ryder came back, but Rainbow did not. I put the good dogs on leashes. Raudi ran all the way home – I found her at the hitching post, where she was consuming the uneaten portion of her brunch. Rainbow was out on the road. She stayed a good distance ahead as the other two dogs and while we headed for home.

Here are the revelations: The first is that Hrimmi is an easy horse to work with. She is at 3.5 years a trifle immature, but she slowly maturing. She’s also bold, which is why she went after that dog. Ryder is also a lot like Hrimmi in that she comes when she’s called. The two even hang together when Ryder is out in the yard.

And Raudi is a difficult horse to work with. She has a mind of her own. A case in point – today all she could think about was the fact that I’d taken her away from her food and that it was important that she immediately get back to it.

Rainbow is also a lot like Raudi. She too will not come when you call her. Rather, as she has always done, she looks over her shoulder, as if to say “adios motherfucker, kiss my ass!” And yes, the horse and dog are buddies.

Interesting, to have two pairs of like types. I am glad that the two most difficult animals paved the way for the two least difficult animals.

I love them all; however, I have over time come to accept rather than continue to try and make Raudi and Rainbow come at will. Both need a reason for complying, and most times they do. Sometimes, like when I am in the process of catching them, I see red. Then, at other times, I think that I must be doing something right. I admittedly think this way late at night when Raudi is secure in her pen and Rainbow is sleeping on her couch. It’s 11 p.m., and yes, I know where my dogs and horses are.

Next: 42. 2/12/16: When the Fat Pony Sings